Mechanical putter



Sept. 9, 1969 H. P. M TEIGUE MECHANICAL PUTTER S Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 16, 1967 mvsmon Hugh P. Mc Teigue Sept. 9, 1969 H, P. MCTEIGUE 3,466,046

MECHANICAL PUTTER Filed June 16, 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR I Hugh P. Mc Teigue ATTORNEYS Sept. 9, 1969 H. P. M TEIGUE MECHANICAL PUTTER Filed June 16, 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR Hugh P McTeigue ATTORNEYS United States Patent O 3,466,046 MECHANICAL PUTTER Hugh P. McTeigue, Hollywood, Fla., assignor to Parker Electronics, Inc., Fort Lauderdale, Fla., a corporation of Florida Filed June 16, 1967, Ser. No. 646,632 Int. Cl. A63b 69/36 US. Cl. 273-162 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A regulation golf club (putter) is removably mounted on a bracket connected to a control mechanism comprising a ratchet and pawl arrangement associated with an angularly movable setting mechanism adapted to move the pawl out of engagement with the ratchet when the putter has been moved rearwardly through a preselected are, thereby to permit the putter to swing freely in a forward direction with a force determined by the extent of its rearward motion.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a device for use in training golf players to putt, i.e., to run a ball into a hole properly. It is well known that golf putters differ in construction and use from all other golf clubs. Whereas most golf clubs are designed to fly the ball over a relatively wide target area, the putter must be used to roll the ball into a hole 4%. inches in diameter. The distance the ball must be rolled can vary from a fraction of an inch up to a hundred or more feet. The golfer must accordingly learn to exercise a high degree of skill as to direction, and must gain judgment as to distance in order to accomplish the object of the game.

Various devices have been suggested heretofore to assist golfers in learning to putt. For the most part, prior art devices have stressed the requirement for accuracy in direction. While this in an important facet of putting, and one which is accomplished by the present invention as well as the prior art, it is equally important that the putter learn to judge just how hard the ball should be struck in order to cause the hall to roll over a desired extent of the green. This latter aspect of putting also requires that the golfer learn to swing the putter through an arc consistent with the amount of force needed to propel the ball thriugh a desired distance. The golfer, in the course of gaining this skill, must be able to repeat a given are time and again so as to become thoroughly familiar with the action of the putter as it swings through that given are.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention comprises a mechanical putter consisting essentially of a support structure adapted to hold a regulation golf club of the putter type. The support structure includes a base which is adapted to engage the ground; and as the ground support base is varied in position relative to a golf hole, the putter is automatically repositioned to vary the direction in which it will cause a ball to roll. By varying the alignment of the ground support base relative to the golf hole, therefore, the golfer can learn direction control.

The putter support structure includes a control mechanism consisting of a rotatably mounted bracket adapted to hold the handle of the golf putter for pendulum-like motion. The control mechanism further includes a ratchet and pawl arrangement associated with a manually operable drive mechanism adapted to move the bracket, and thereby the golf club, through a desired arc forming the backswing motion of the stroke. Means are provided ice for rotating the club in this backswing motion to a selected point; and, when that point is reached, further means are provided to decouple the putter bracket from the aforementioned drive mechanism so that the club may swing freely in a pendulum-like forward swing motion to strike the ball with a force directly related to the are through which the hall was initially moved in its backswing. The releasing or decoupling mechanism employed can be adjusted to vary the point in the backswing motion at which the club is released for forward swing motion. By so varying the release point during practice sessions with the overall device, the golfer can become familiar with the resultant variations in distance through which the ball is propelled when the putter is moved through different arcuate extents.

As a practice device, the invention permits a golf player to repeat a selected are of the club as many times as is necessary for him to learn the effect of the club head on the ball for that are of motion. The practicing player may then select a new position at which the golf club is released for its forward swing motion, and can continue the process until he has learned the effect of golfhead stroke and speed from a number of positions. With concentrated practice, therefore, the golfer learns just how far the backswing of the putter should be in order to effect a desired striking force on the ball consistent with a particular distance through which the ball should be propelled.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGURE 1 is a rear elevation view of a mechanical putter constructed in accordance with the present invention, taken on line 1-1 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 1A is a view of the control mechanism portion of FIGURE 1, in one of its possible positions of adjustment, illustrating the operation of said control mechanlsm.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation view of a mechanical putter constructed in accordance with the present invention taken on line 22 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of a mechanical putter showing its mode of usage; and

FIGURE 4 is an exploded representation of the control mechanism comprising a portion of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the several figures, like numerals of which refer to like parts throughout, it will be seen that a mechanical putter constructed in accordance with the present invention comprises a ground engaging base 10* having a serrated lower surface 11. Base 10 is elongated in configuration as illustrated and is designed to extend substantially at right angles to the direction of the striking face of the head 12 of a regulation putter 1242 which is supported on the Overall structure. More particularly, the base 10 is aifixed to a supporting post 13 which is telescopically received in a hollow post member 14 provided at its lower end with a clamping mechanism 15. By releasing and then retightening the clamping mechanism 15, the ground engaging base 10 may be varied vertically in position relative to hollow post 14, and relative to the head 12 of the putter 12a, so as to appropriately support putter 12a for swinging motion adjacent the ground and adjacent a ball to be propelled (see FIGURE 3).

A control mechanism, generally designated 16, is supported at the upper end of post 14. Control mechanism 16 comprises a housing portion 16a having an open side adapted to be closed by a plate 16b of complementary configuration (see FIGURE 2). Plate 1611 has a handle structure 17 attached thereto by means of rods 18; and

3 said plate 17b is provided with an arcuate slot 19 (shown in broken line in FIGURES 1 and 1A) through which a manually operable actuating lever 20 (to be described) protrudes to the exterior of the housing.

Housing portion 16 has an interior slideway 21 of arcuate configuration formed as an integral portion thereof. Slideway 21 consists of a pair of spaced arcuately disposed slide surfaces which are slotted therebetween completely through the rear side of housing portion 16a, as at 21a. A substantially T-shaped tripping slide 22 has the arcuate cross portion thereof mounted for sliding motion along slideway 21. Slide 22 is held in position for such sliding motion by a pair of bolts 23 extending through washers 24 at the rear exterior of housing portion 16a, and then through slot 21a into the interior of the casing and into thread engagement with the arcuate cross portion of tripping slide 22.

Tripping slide 22 has an angle setting lever 25 attached thereto by means of screws 26. Angle setting lever 25 is formed of a spring material, and includes an outstanding projection 27 on one face thereof adapted to releasably engage one of a plurality of notches 28 formed along the edge of housing portion 16a. Resilient angle setting lever 25 is normally so positioned and biased that projection 27 is urged toward and into one of notches 28 to hold tripping slide 22 at a fixed position along the arcuate extent of slide-way 21. However, by resiliently pushing angle setting lever 25 away from notches 28, projection 27 may be disengaged from those notches so as to permit tripping slide 22 to be moved to a desired position along the slideway 21. Housing portion 16a is preferably provided on its exterior surface with a number of angle markings adjacent to the several notches 28 (see FIGURE 2) to permit tripping slide 22 to be set at any desired position along slideway 21 between the limits 0 (at the very top of the housing or case) and 90 (at the side of the housing) for the purposes to be described hereinafter.

A bracket 30 is positioned outside of the housing 16a- 16b, said bracket being provided with spring clips 31 adapted to releasably grip the handle 32 of regulation putter 12a. Bracket 30 has a pivot pin 33 which extends through an aperture 34 in the base of housing portion 16a into fixed engagement with a ratchet wheel 35. More particularly, ratchet wheel 35 is provided With a protruding annular portion 35a having a set screw 36 therein adapted to engage the exterior of shaft 33. When the parts 30-36 are assembled in the manner described, bracket 30 is held in position on the exterior of housing portion 16a by reason of its engagement with ratchet wheel 35 on the interior of said housing portion; and the overall structure is capable of rotating freely through 360.

An annular hub 37 is provided with a flanged base 37w, the overall structure 37-37a being mounted for rotation around ratchet wheel 35 and independently thereof. A lurality of flange members 38 are fixed to the inner surface of housing portion 16a in overlying relation to flange 37a of annular hub 37 to hold said hub in place while still permitting its rotational movement. An elongated ratchet spring 44 extends between a pin 45, on the interior of casing portion 1 6a, and a screw member 46 on rotating hub 37 Actuating lever 20 is attached to hub 37 by means of screw members 39 extending through a late structure 40 aflixed to said hub 37. As mentioned previously, actuating lever 20 extends through the aforementioned arcuate slot 19 to the exterior of the housing 16a-16b whereby annular hub 37 can be rotated when desired from the exterior of the housing, with such rotation being aided or opposed by spring 44 depending upon the direction of the rotation.

A pawl 41 is attached by a screw member 42 to annular hub 37, said pawl being adapted to pivot about screw member 42. At a point displaced from screw member 42, a pawl spring 43 extends between pawl 41 and hub 37 to urge latching portion 41a of pawl 41 into engagement with the teeth on the periphery of ratchet wheel 35. The engaged position of the pawl is shown in FIGURE 1. Pawl 41 further includes a rounded nose or cam surface 41b adapted to selectively engage the downwardly depending portion of T-shaped tripping slide 22. When such engagement occurs, pawl 41 is rotated about its pivot 42 against the restraint of pawl spring 43 so as to effect disengagement between latching portion 41a and the teeth on ratchet Wheel 35. This disengaged position of the pawl is shown in FIGURE 1A. The upward pivotal motion of pawl 41 is limited by engagement of pawl 41 with the bottom of the downwardly depending portion of tripping slide 22.

To use the mechanism for practice or other purposes, the handle 32 of a regulation putter 12a is first attached to the mechanism by means of spring clamps 31 on bracket 30. Ground support base 10 is then appropriately adjusted by means of adjusting mechanism 15 until the overall height of the mechanism (see FIGURE 3) is proper to cause the putter to barely engage the ground surface when ground support base 10 is in firm engagement with that ground surface. The striking face of the clubhead 12 should then be adjusted to assure that it is at right angles to the direction of elongation of base 10.

Holding handle 17 in one hand the golfer aligns ground support base 10 parallel to the assumed line over which the golf ball is to travel. This alignment of the ground support base 10 effects, and teaches the golfer, proper direction control. after estimating the distance to the hole, the golfer operates angle setting lever 25 to move tripping slide 22 along slideway 21 to a desired position, and resilient lever 25 is then released so that the protruding portion 27 thereof engages one of notches 28 at a desired angular position.

Actuating lever 20 is then manually moved to the bottom of lever slot 19 against the tension of ratchet spring 44, so as to cause lever 20 to assume the position shown in FIGURE 1. During this movement of actuating lever 20, rotating hub 37 is caused to move about the periphery of ratchet wheel 35; but no motion is imparted to bracket 30 or the putter 12a held thereby due to the angles of inclination of the latching portion 41a of pawl 41 and the teeth on the periphery of ratchet wheel 35. When the motion of actuating lever 20 is halted, pawl spring 43 forces latching portion 41a into firm engagement with the teeth on ratchet wheel 35 so as to achieve driving engagement between rotating hub 37 and ratchet wheel 35. Actuating lever 20 is now pulled in an upward direction through slot 19. During this upward motion of actuating lever 20, in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIGURES 1 and 1A, annular hub 37 and ratchet wheel 35 are rotated together in a counterclockwise direction. This in turn causes bracket 30 to swing in a counterclockwise direction, causing the regulation putter 12a to move rearwardly in its backswing motion.

The foregoing action continues during the upward movement of actuating lever 20 until such time as the cam surface or nose 41b of pawl 41 engages tripping slide 22. When such engagement does occur, pawl 41 is pivoted in a clockwise direction about point 42 so as to cause pawl 41 to move in an effectively upward direction as indicated by the arrow 50 (FIGURE 1A) thereby disengaging pawl 41 from ratchet wheel 35. When such disengagement occurs, there is no longer any restraint on ratchet wheel 35. The weight of putter 12a, acting on ratchet wheel 35 through bracket 30, accordingly causes the ratchet wheel 35 to rotate freely in a clockwise direction (as viewed in FIGURES 1 and 1A) with the putter 12a swinging freely in a pendulum-like forward stroke motion from its point of release. As the putter thus swings freely in its forward stroke motion, head 12 of the putter strikes the golf ball with a force determined by the extent to which the putter had previously been moved in its backswing motion.

It will be appreciated that the point at which the putter is released for its pendulum-like forward swing motion is determined by the position to which tripping slide 22 had previously been set. If the tripping slide is positioned so that it is close to its 0 position (shown in FIGURE 1), the putter 12a can only be moved in its backswing motion for a few degrees before it will be released to initiate the forward swing motion. As the tripping slide is positioned progressively farther and farther away from its 0 position, the putter is similarly required to move through a backswing of progressively greater extent before actual release occurs.

By setting the angle-setting lever at a desired position, and by then moving actuating lever 20 downwardly to the bottom of slot 19 and then upwardly, the identical putter arc can be reproduced time and again. Such repetition soon familiarizes the golfer with the action of the putter when it is swung through a precise number of degrees. By varying the point of release, moreover, the golfer soon learns the action of the putter for different swing arcs.

While I have thus described a preferred embodiment of the present invention, many variations will be sug gested to those skilled in the art. The foregoing description is accordingly meant to be illustrative only and should not be considered limitative of my invention. All such variations and modifications as are in accord with the principles described are meant to fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A mechanical golfing mechanism comprising means for supporting a golf club for swinging motion, manually operable drive means for moving said golf club in a backswing direction, and control means connected to said drive means for automatically terminating said golf club motion in said backswing direction after said golf club has traversed a preselected arc of backswing motion and releasing said golf club for free fall in a forward swing direction, said control means including settable means for selectively varying the length of said preselected are by varying the point in said backswing direction at which said golf club is released for free fall forward swing motion.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said control means includes disengageable coupling means for selectively connecting said golf club to said drive means, said settable means comprising manually adjustable means for disengaging said coupling means at a selected point in said backswing motion to release said golf club from said drive means for said free fall forward swing motion.

3. The combination of claim 2 including a housing, two rotatable members mounted in said housing, said means for grasping the handle of a golf club comprising a rotatably mounted bracket disposed adjacent the exterior of said housing and connected through a wall of said housing to one of said rotatable members, said drive means including a manually movable handle extending through a wall of said housing into engagement with the other of said rotatable members, said disengageable coupling means being operative to selectively interconnect said two rotatable members for joint rotation.

4. The combination of claim 1 wherein said supporting means includes an elongated post structure having an elongated ground engaging foot disposed adjacent one end thereof transverse to the direction of elongation of said post, and means for releasably grasping the handle of a golf club adjacent the other end of said post structure with the striking face of said club extending at substantially right angles to the direction of elongation of said foot.

5. A mechanical golfing mechanism comprising means for supporting a golf club for swinging motion, said supporting means including a pivotally mounted bracket having means for grasping the handle of said golf club,

manually operable drive means for moving said golf club in a backswing direction, and control means including disengageable coupling means connected to said drive means for terminating said golf club motion in said backswing direction after said golf club has traversed a selected arc of backswing motion and initiating motion of said golf club in a forward swing direction, said control means including settable means for selectively varying the point in said backswing direction at which said for- Ward swing motion is initiated, said settable means comprising means for disengaging said coupling means at a selected point in said backswing motion, said bracket being positively engaged for drive by said coupling means only during said backswing motion and being mounted for substantially unrestrained pendulum-like motion in said forward swing direction when said coupling means is disengaged.

6. A mechanical golfing mechanism comprising a movable bracket having means for grasping the handle of a golf club for swinging motion, manually operable drive means for moving said golf club in a backswing direction, control means connected to said drive means for terminating said golf club motion in said backswing direction after said golf club has traversed a selected are of backswing motion and initiating motion of said golf club in a forward swing direction, and settable means for selectively varying the point in said backswing direction at which said forward swing motion is initiated, said control means including ratchet means and pawl means, one of said ratchet means and pawl means being connected to said bracket for movement therewith, and the other of said ratchet means and pawl means being connected to said drive means for movement therewith, and resilient means normally urging said ratchet means and pawl means into engagement with one another, said settable means comprising means for disengaging said ratchet means and pawl means from one another against the restraint of said resilient means.

7. The combination of claim 6 wherein said pawl means is pivotally mounted and includes a cam surface displaced from its point of pivotal mounting, said settable means comprising abutment means mounted for movement to a plurality of positions along the path which said cam surface traverses during movement of said pawl means, engagement between said abutment means and said cam surface being operative to pivot said pawl means about its point of'pivotal mounting thereby to disengage said pawl means from said ratchet means.

8. The combination of claim 7 wherein said bracket is rotatably mounted on a shaft, said ratchet means comprising a toothed wheel attached to said shaft in concentric relation thereto, an annular hub concentric with said ratchet means and mounted for rotation about said toothed wheel, said pawl means being pivotally mounted on said annular hub, and said manually operable drive means comprising handle means connected to said hub for rotating said hub.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 168,323 10/1875 Crandall 27377 1,391,306 9/1921 Eliaser 273 129 X 1,618,638 2/1927 Coles 27377 1,739,468 12/1929 Klutho 273-129 X ANTON O. OECHSLE, Primary Examiner T. ZACK, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 273194 

